Woohoo! My boyfriend turned 30!
To celebrate, we went to Red Hare Brewery with several friends on a Sunday afternoon. I decided to make a couple of platters of finger foods in addition to a birthday cake, because I don't know about you, but for me...drinking beer should always be accompanied by some munchies.
So, if you are ever in need of some easy and delicious party food, read on!
1. Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Pizza: Grab some pizza dough (the kind in a can), two packs of crimini mushrooms (baby bellas), one large onion, an 8 oz pack of shredded mozzarella and an 8 oz pack of shredded parmesan.
Start by cooking down the mushrooms - I did one pack at a time in a non-stick pan, with 1 tablespoon of butter and a sprinkle of salt (a light sprinkle! The cheeses will provide a lot of the saltiness). Then caramelize the onion by slicing it thinly, then cooking over low heat with a tablespoon of butter (or some olive oil). Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Lay out the pizza dough on a baking sheet and flatten as much as possible. Put a generous layer of mozzarella on (I used about 3/4 of the pack), then layer on the mushrooms and onions. I also had some fresh oregano on hand, so I put a few leaves on there, too, but this is very optional. Finish off the pizza with as much or little parmesan as you'd like (I used about 1/3 of the pack), and bake for 18 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust looks golden brown.
2. Buffalo Chicken Dip: You'll need one 8 oz pack of cream cheese, an 8 oz pack of shredded cheddar cheese, about 1 lb of boneless chicken (I used breast, but you can use whatever, including rotisserie chicken for ease), ranch, hot sauce (I used Frank's), and green onion (optional).
Take out the cream cheese to soften, and start by cooking the chicken - I boiled the chicken breast. Once done, shred the chicken with a knife and fork. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the chicken and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add a 1/2 cup of ranch and 1/2 cup of the hot sauce, and about 1/2 the pack of the cheddar (or more, depending on your cheese preference). Add the green onion and mix. Spread the mixture into a baking dish and top with more cheddar cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips or celery sticks.
3. Pigs in a Blanket: You'll need a pack of Lil Smokies and 2 packs of regular croissant dough.
The croissant dough should be for 8 croissants. Cut each triangle up into three separate triangles so you have 24 triangles per container. Roll a sausage in each triangle and bake according to package directions for the croissants (I added a couple of minutes to get them more golden, so about 14 minutes).
4. Cheese Bread Curls: I'll give you the real recipe, but I made this without mayo this time since a. I forgot HA and b. birthday boy is NOT a mayo fan. Get some mayo, shredded cheddar cheese, black pepper, green onions, and more croissant dough. While I've never gone by the same measurements twice, I'd guesstimate about 1 cup mayo, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 2 green onions, two croissant dough cans.
Mix the mayo, cheese, sprinkle of black pepper, and chopped green onions in a mixing bowl. Take out the croissant dough and divide into 4 rectangles (should be two triangles to each rectangle). Spread the cheese mix onto each rectangle and roll up the long way. Cut into 5 sections, so you have five little curls. Bake according to directions on the croissant dough, or until golden brown.
5. Last, and most importantly, OREO CAKE: I will say this over and over again - Add a Pinch's Chocolate Cake recipe is the best cake I've ever made in my life! In fact, her site has helped me believe that I am not a terrible baker (you should've seen the first cookies I tried to make from scratch, yikes). So yes. That will generally be my go-to cake.
The Oreo frosting was easy - just soften 4 sticks of butter, and mix until it's light and airy. Add in 4 cups of confectioner's sugar 1/2 cup at a time and mix. Then stick 15 Oreos in a food processor and blend into crumbs. Add those crumbs into the mix as well as 4 tablespoons of heavy cream and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and mix until incorporated. Yum!
So there you have it! Some easy finger foods to make for your next party, and sharing of my cake secrets (it was hard to share, but just had to do it). Do you have any fun go-to party snack or cake recipes?
- HungryDeb
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